Read

Hebrews 9:1-5

¹Now in that first covenant between God and Israel, there were regulations for worship and a sacred tent here on earth. ²There were two rooms in this tent. In the first room were a lamp stand, a table, and loaves of holy bread on the table. This was called the Holy Place. ³Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. ⁴In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing some manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant with the Ten Commandments written on them. ⁵The glorious cherubim were above the Ark. Their wings were stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain all of these things now.

Reflect

The Jewish people of the day believed that the tabernacle was the epitome of the world. This is the place where God truly dwelt on earth. Inside the tabernacle were two rooms. The second and most important room was called the Holiest of All. In this room was the arc of the covenant. It was a box, covered in gold that contained items important to Israel. It contained a golden pot of manna that reminded Israel of God’s provision and their ungratefulness, Aaron’s rod that reminded them of their rebellion against God’s authority and the tablets of the covenant that reminded them of their failure to keep the Ten Commandments.

On the Day of Atonement, as the High Priest went in to make a sacrifice to God, he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the top of the ark. As God looked down into the ark, He saw the symbols of Israel’s sin, rebellion and failure. But when the blood of sacrifice was applied to the top of the ark, His sight of the sin of Israel was covered by the blood of the sacrifice.

Even today, as God looks down on us and see’s the reminders of our sin, Jesus’ blood that was shed on the cross covers His sight of our sin.

Respond

Why was it important that God have two houses, one on earth and one in heaven?

What reminders of you sin are covered by Jesus’ blood?

What does it mean to you when we say that the blood of Jesus covers God’s sight of your sin?

===================================================
If you would like a printable copy of this devotional, we have provided one here.